November 2018

Anyone who has had to shop for clothes on the high street will be familiar with the dread expression ‘One Size Fits All’. To be found on many a label, it is a tag that lots of us instinctively shy away from, feeling perhaps that it does not quite ring true. The same can be said of the way in...

I think in life with any form meetings we do not always notice the approach of the individual and for me when they ask for a coaching session. The lack of eye contact, the feeling of being tense, embarrassed and unsure of what may come, I can see it and sense it. The positive is that the individual has asked...

Quite often on our Train the Trainer courses when our delegates do their practical sessions, they don’t quite go according to plan.  There are many reactions including sheer panic, but it really doesn’t have to be that way… On our courses, I do emphasise organisation and the fact that it’s so important that you find your own individual style in your session...

Effective time management is an essential skill for all individuals and managers.  One of the great levellers is that we all have the same amount of time.  It’s what we choose to do with it that counts.  Seven steps that will have an instant impact: 1. Identify ‘Time Bandits’ - To any manager Time Bandits can be a real headache.  If we are not...

Have you ever thought to yourself what do I want to change, really change? Then actually address it? The biggest failure with a lot of people is holding yourself back, this then means never really working in an area you want to change, just accepting things as they are. Sometimes little changes make significant progress over time rather than one...

Ever been in a “Training” session where your mind has been anywhere other than in that room and time? Yes, me too and there’s nothing worse to put you off training for life because you are just wasting your time when you’re there for a reason – to learn! It’s a common theme I hear from many who tell me “I’ve been...

As a management coach and trainer I meet many individuals who say to me they have issues with one particular area, often involving challenging or difficult people.  They will explain what they have done previously to deal with the problem; often they have been doing whatever it is, again and again.  When I ask them what they could do differently, we explore...

Within my coaching practice, I have heard recurring patterns in the language that is used by coachees who enter the room. Here is a question to the reader have you heard yourself ever saying or thinking “it was an easy task” or discounting praise when it has been given to you, saying something like “just doing my job”.  It is so...

“I’m a rubbish trainer” is a phrase I get to hear a lot in my job and actually if I’m brutally honest with you, it’s something I said about myself a long time ago.  I was fortunate though to have some influential people who helped me change my perception through a couple of fundamental but simple practices. So why do am...